Latest news with #PublicServiceAmendmentBill
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Have Your Say On The Public Service Amendment Bill
Press Release: Governance and Administration Committee The Governance and Administration Committee is seeking public submissions on the Public Service Amendment Bill. The Bill includes provisions relating to: the purpose and role of the public service responsibilities of public service chief executives performance review and conduct oversight functions of the Public Service Commissioner long-term planning and continuity requirements for public service agencies Tell the Governance and Administration Committee what you think Make a submission on the bill by midnight on 31 August 2025. For more details about the bill:
NZ Herald
01-08-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Making ‘New Zealand' country's official name added to NZ First's ever-changing list of bills
'Inconsistency in recent years in the way public agencies and officials describe the country – including partial or informal use of other names has created uncertainty regarding the legal foundation for making those choices.' Winston Peters has been frustrated lately by the use of "Aotearoa" in Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell It's the eighth Member's Bill the party has announced this year, but due to the rules of Parliament, NZ First is only able to have four in the ballot at any one time. Only MPs who aren't ministers – NZ First has four backbenchers – can have Member's Bills and they can only have one in the ballot at a time. This has meant the party has had to shuffle out several of the bills it has previously announced, but which remain on NZ First's website as 'Our Member's Bills'. For example, the 'Conscience Acts Referendums Bill', which was revealed in March to remove conscience votes in Parliament and instead require some particular legislation to go to a national public referendum, no longer appears on Parliament's website. It was previously held in the name of NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle. But he now has a bill protecting New Zealanders' right to use physical currency. Other bills to pulled out recently include a bill to have a binding referendum when deciding whether to add fluoride to drinking water, one to remove diversity, equity and inclusion aspects from the public service, and another to improve access to palliative care. In some instances, the bills have been overtaken by events. For example, the Government's Public Service Amendment Bill, which this week passed its first reading, intends to remove diversity provisions. When the party announced a Member's Bill to clarify the definition of a woman and man in law, it removed another bill that would fine people who use a single-sex toilet not matching their own sex. Peters said the new proposal addressed the issue more comprehensively. The party says if it could have all of its bills in the ballot at once, it would. Those not currently in the ballot, but which have been announced, remain current policy and could be returned. MP Andy Foster has had a number of bills under his name. Photo / Mike Scott The party's MP Andy Foster has been the sponsor of many of the bills, before they have then either been picked from the ballot, transferred to another MP or removed. For example, earlier this year, his bill to stop banks withdrawing services from clients for 'woke' reasons was picked from the ballot and began going through the parliamentary process. This meant he could add another to the ballot, which ended up being the bill to remove diversity elements from law. Eventually, however, this was dropped and he picked up another requiring government buildings to only display the official flag of New Zealand. But after the resignation of NZ First's Tanya Unkovich, this bill was transferred from Foster to new MP Dr David Wilson. Foster now has the bill about the country's name. The four bills currently in the ballot for NZ First are: Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill – Jenny Marcroft Cash Transactions Protection Bill – Jamie Arbuckle Display of Flags (Government Premises) Bill – Dr David Wilson New Zealand (Name of State) Bill – Andy Foster. NZ First MPs in Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell The newest bill comes after several showdowns between Peters and Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee over the use of 'Aotearoa' in Parliament. Peters has bristled when other MPs have used it in questions. In March, Brownlee ruled 'Aotearoa' was 'regularly used' as a name for the country including by the country's geographic board. He noted it appeared on the country's passport and currency, and Parliament's rules allowed MPs to use English, te reo Māori or sign language. Peters subsequently told the Herald that Brownlee was 'wrong' as the matter had 'never gone to the people of this country'. The NZ First leader raised the issue again last week, leading Brownlee to reiterate his previous comments. Brownlee said: 'In his time serving New Zealand, in the capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he would've, over some five years or more, presented the New Zealand passport at various passport stations around the world and never had questioned the fact that our passport has the word Aotearoa on the front of it. 'It was always a New Zealand passport despite the use of that word. That is the end of the matter.' Following that, Minister for Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden confirmed the New Zealand passport would eventually be updated to have English appear before the te reo Māori text. In a release on Friday morning, Peters said 'a bunch of unelected bureaucrats, officials, government departments and politicians trying to change our country's name by stealth – with no permission or consent from the people'. 'The 'New Zealand (Name of State) Bill' confirms that 'New Zealand' is our country's official name, and it is only parliament and the people, not bureaucrats, government departments, or officials, that have the authority to make decisions about the name of the country.' NZ First's coalition agreement with National includes a commitment about not changing the country's name. 'Commit that in the absence of a referendum, our Government will not change the official name of New Zealand.' Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald press gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. In 2025, he was a finalist for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.
Scoop
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Eliminating DEI Appointments A Step Closer
ACT is celebrating the passage of Public Service Amendment Bill through its first reading in Parliament which will remove divisive DEI appointments and strip out the ideological rot embedded in the public sector. The Bill reflects commitments made in ACT's coalition agreement. Diversity mandates were implemented by the Labour-NZ First-Green Government. 'Taxpayers don't care about your race or sex – they care if you can deliver them essential services,' says ACT Public Service spokesperson Todd Stephenson. 'With ACT in Government, we're putting public servants' focus back on solving the problem, instead of the demographics of the person solving it. 'We've long called out the obsession with diversity targets and virtue signalling. Now we're cutting it out. ACT's coalition agreement secured a commitment 'to clarify the role of the public service, drive performance, and ensure accountability to deliver on the agenda of the government of the day,' and this bill is delivering on it. 'The identity of the person procuring life-saving medicines, improving the education system, or responding to natural disasters doesn't matter – so long as it's the person with the best skills and experience doing it. 'We're proud to see more of ACT's influence driving real change. Every New Zealander deserves to be judged on their ability and achievements, not their identity – we're making sure that happens.'
Scoop
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
New Low From Govt In Public Service Act Changes Aimed At Ending Long Term Planning, Diversity & Inclusion & Pay Equity
The Government's proposed changes to the Public Service Act, to be debated in Parliament today, aim to strip away key provisions that ensure fairness, equality and long-term planning in the public sector. Under the proposed amendments, detailed in the Public Service Amendment Bill, diversity and inclusion, pay equity and long-term planning would be downgraded. "This is a new low from the Government. It now wants to tell chief executives of Government departments that they are not to focus on the long-term public interest, this is reckless given that the complex problems New Zealand's facing need long term policy solutions," said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. "This approach will limit New Zealand's ability to solve complicated problems like climate change adaptation, family violence and our infrastructure deficit." The Public Service Amendment Bill also scraps requirements on pay equity. It would remove responsibilities for chief executives and the Public Service Commissioner to work towards pay equity between women and men, and to work towards eliminating bias and discrimination in decisions about pay. "Pay equity is about fairness and justice for workers and includes ensuring flexible and part time work is available. The Government has already ripped up pay equity claims, denying pay increases for more than150,000 women in the public and community sectors. Taking away its priority in this legislation again shows how little the Government values supporting the career of women and closing the gender pay gap." The Bill would also remove requirements on chief executives and the Public Service Commissioner to foster a public service that's inclusive and representative of the communities it serves. "Diversity and inclusion in our workforce are not nice to haves - they are essential to delivering fair and effective public services that are sensitive to the needs of all New Zealanders. The public service does its job well and is legitimate because it represents our diverse country. Reducing the importance of these principles risks turning back decades of progress." The PSA is also alarmed by amendments to the purpose of the Public Service Act which would reduce emphasis on pursuing the long-term public interest, and remove the requirement of the public service to enable both the current Government and successive governments to develop and implement their policies. "This is a worrying attack on the political neutrality of the public service and makes it less accountable to the people of New Zealand. Public services must look beyond the next political cycle. Downgrading the public service's role in pursuing the long-term public interest means less focus on how our public service can meet future challenges - whether that's dealing with an ageing population, infrastructure challenges, adapting to new technology, or responding to climate change. "The Government has stripped the public service of thousands of jobs despite our population growing, and our challenges becoming more complex and urgent. "The Bill was tabled on the same day the Government extended a tax break for big tobacco, showing how misplaced its priorities are. "This is a time to invest in a fairer, more future-focused public service - not tear down the progress we've made. It's 2025, not 1955." Note
IOL News
05-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Public Service Commission expands its mandate to local government
Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi says the Public Service Commission will work to institutionalise core values in local government by promoting ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and enhanced service delivery. Image: Supplied Public Service and Administration Minister Mzamo Buthelezi has outlined the process to be followed by the Public Service Commission to extend its mandate to the local government sphere. This occurs as the Public Service Commission Amendment Bill is being processed in Parliament. 'Over the next two and a half years, the Public Service Commission will work to institutionalise core values in local government, promoting ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and enhanced service delivery. "By the end of the seventh administration, we expect to have made significant progress in institutionalising these values across all spheres of government, including state-owned entities,' Buthelezi said. The Public Service Amendment Bill was first introduced in Parliament in October 2023 and lapsed at the end of the sixth administration in May 2024. It was revived at the start of this administration in July 2024 and was referred to the Public Service and Administration Portfolio Committee. The amendment bill has since been passed by the National Assembly in March and was transmitted to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence. Buthelezi said the recent adoption of the Public Service Commission Amendment Bill by the National Assembly marked a significant milestone in their commitment to strengthening the role of the commission in affirming its independence as a vital constitutional safeguard for promoting an ethical value system and good governance. 'The bill aims to achieve several key objectives. Firstly, it establishes a secretariat for the commission, enabling it to function as an independent and impartial constitutional body. This enhancement will support the commission in effectively fulfilling its mandate across the entire public administration, including local government and public entities,' he said. Buthelezi also said the bill sought to improve the efficiency and impact of the commission by legally obligating Members of the Executive to act on the recommendations the commission issued after conducting investigations. 'This measure is key as we collectively build a capable, ethical, and developmental state where accountability is the standard for all of us.' Buthelezi said they were strengthening the role of the Public Service Commission in the appointment of key people such as directors-general, deputy directors-general, CEOs of state-owned entities, board members, and other senior positions. 'The Public Service Commission has established a preliminary database of technical experts to participate in high-level selection committees for appointing top executives in the public sector. This database will be refined further, and a Good Practice Guide for Executive Recruitment will be developed.' He also said the progress made with the processing of the bill so far was a significant step towards the achievement of the objectives as outlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address.
